Flying full-back Jordan Marshall says the best is yet to come from him after he committed his future to Dundee for a further two years.
Marshall put pen to paper on a contract extension on Thursday and is determined to realise his Premiership ambitions at Dens Park.
The 24-year-old signed for the Dark Blues last summer and swiftly became an integral part of James McPake’s side.
Now he’s looking to improve even further in the next 24 months.
He said: “I’m delighted to sign the two-year extension – it probably would have happened earlier but for Covid but we’ve sat down and worked it all out in the matter of a few days.
“I didn’t have to think about really, I’ve really enjoyed my time here.
“I get on with all the lads and it’s a big club. I have aspirations to play in the top flight and I think that’s where this club is going.
“I just turned 24 so, hopefully, the best is still to come and I feel like I’ve been at Dundee I’ve become a better player and I’m getting better every year.
“My family will probably move up here later in the year which will be great for me to spend more time with them and not having to travel so much.
“That’ll be the first time we’ve really lived together as a family, we’ve not had that yet.
“In my career I’ve always been travelling a few days a week to see them.
“Hopefully, that will improve my game as well, not driving so much and feeling settled at home.”
‘If we get beat tonight it will be a catastrophe’
Marshall’s first assignment since signing his new deal is to help the Dark Blues past Lowland League Bonnyrigg Rose tonight in the Scottish Cup.
Dundee are big favourites for the clash but the former Queen of the South left-back knows the Championship side need to be careful to avoid being the victims of a cup upset.
“These games are tricky because whichever way it goes, we won’t be getting much praise tonight,” he said.
“If we win, people will say we should have won but if we get beat it’ll be a catastrophe.
“Bonnyrigg will come and be hard-working, be difficult to beat and have some good players who will have had offers to go higher up the leagues.
It will be a good test but we have to stay professional and approach it like we would any other game in the league.
“When I was at Queens we played (Highland League side) Formartine United but we got past them.
“Then there was a Scottish Cup game at Albion Rovers and the draw was already done, the winner would play Celtic.
“We ended up getting beat 2-1 and missing out on a huge game so I’ve been on both sides of it.
“I’ve beaten the smaller team but also been the wrong side of a shock.
“It is a banana skin we need to avoid.”
Good form
Dundee head into the contest on the back of their best run of the season, six unbeaten in the Championship and having won their last three.
Marshall knows how important it is to keep the momentum going by making that four wins on the bounce and booking a place in round three.
He added: “The team is going well just now as well, we’ve hit a good run of form with six games unbeaten.
“The boys are flying and everyone is pulling their weight on the pitch. One to XI everyone is playing well, hopefully we can continue that.
“Confidence is there. When we were going through a sticky patch confidence was low but winning games always helps.
“I think you can see that by the way the lads are playing.”
Life’s a beach for Jordon Forster
The Englishman also enjoyed his first trip to Broughty Ferry beach this week when the Dundee coaching staff put on a training session with a difference.
He said: “We got a text saying we were training at the beach. I was like ‘what’s going on here, I didn’t even know Dundee had a beach!’
“It was freezing as well but we did get a good session in and it was a good bit of bonding for the boys.”
The Dundee media team posted out a photo on social media of a wayward football floating out to sea on the Tay.
Marshall himself was quick to point the finger of blame on twitter at fellow defender Jordon Forster but admits ‘Fozzy’ wasn’t completely at fault.
One drawback to training at the beach 🙈 #thedee pic.twitter.com/pRtPkGEzxX
— Dundee Football Club (@DundeeFC) January 6, 2021
“Paul McGowan stitched Fozzy up, to be fair,” he revealed.
“Gowser asked for the ball, Fozzy played it to him and Gowser just moved out the way and it went straight in the sea!
“I’m not sure Fozzy went to get it, that’ll have to come out his wages.”